Meet Sidhanth Majumder from Assam, an upcoming writer and author of ‘Glory At Dawn’

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With recent attacks on Europe and events changing on a faster note. Countries ramp up their military state of readiness but some forget the men and women who serve on the frontlines away from home. One such book 'Glory At Dawn' throws light not only on Indo-Pak relations but on the brave soldiers who lay their lives on the line for the safety of our people and the country at large.

Here is an exclusive interview with TNT-The Northeast Today, Sidhanth Majumder from Assam, author of 'Glory At Dawn'

TNT: Can you please tell me briefly about your background?

SM: I was born on November 18, 1993, in an industrial township in Bongaigaon, Assam, where my father works as an engineer. My mother is a professor in a college in the same town. So education and sports have always been the major part of my growth. Currently, am pursuing MBA in NIT Silchar.

TNT: How did you get interested in writing? Who are your inspirations?

SM: I had always been intrigued in writing down my imaginations, funny or serious, since my school days, but never pushed them into any sort of circulation. Then as I grew up, my curiosity fell on the actual World. Being born in an industrial area, and in this corner of the country, I was constantly surrounded by the army and the paramilitary forces. Thus my interest naturally inclined to them and decided to pen down my writings on their world (instead) with a motive to bring the relationship of civilians once step closer to our military and share their acts of valor. Yes, it required an intensive study for years.

TNT: What is your take on the writers from the region? Do you feel the art of writing is declining in northeast India?

SM: For centuries, the northeast India has always been contributing the world of literature with brilliant laureates and very fortunately, we still have upcoming writers as we speak. The good thing is that tempo hasn't died down.

Now, to the second question, it is very difficult to answer how many new writers stepped into the book-market for one reason- new writers find it tough to tap physical bookstores at the beginning as they prefer to keep the works of established writers. So instead they go for the online stores, like Flipkart, Amazon, etc, which in one way is difficult to know how many new (NE) authors have put their works on those platforms. As matter of fact, it will take time and effort for them to be popular along with their works!

TNT: Are our budding authors deprived of something in contrast to the rest of the country?

SM: Yes, a contrast is there! See, NE or even Assam alone has not been able to give that very spark which encourages someone to write and become popular with a speed. We do not conduct big Literary Festivals in that scale as are being conducted in Jaipur or Delhi. Secondly, it's very hard to find a book publisher, here, with good popularity and market reach beyond Assam. Thirdly, marketing gets very tough for new writers at this part of the country as compared to Chennai or other metros. Again, we do not have popular bookstores like Landmark or Crosswords. These are a big factor that introduces someone to start writing, and dream of seeing their hard works on a shelf along with famous authors across the globe!

TNT: Glory At Dawn, a military thriller can you please elaborate more into this.

SM: Glory at Dawn is a fictional novel written through a series of real-life events, with an objective to tribute our soldiers who have laid down their lives for the country. Also, through the book, I have sought to denounce our politicians' attitudes towards the soldiers with obnoxious remarks like the job of these men is nothing but to lay down their lives for the country. Thirdly, the book tells the Pakistan's policy towards Kashmir and how our NSA, a portrayed figure, has changed the stance of this nation to an "offensive-defence" strategy, giving the military the leverage to reply "militarily" by deploying assets, technology,  and troops. So staged in three nations, the readers will delve into the world full of terror where the share of intelligence is a desperate necessity but highly risky.

TNT: Do you think terrorism issue will resolve through bilateral talks?

SM: No, because Pakistan won't conduct talks on terrorism, but Kashmir only. Even a former army major of Pakistan, Shafi, told of being extremely critical of the armed forces' involvement in both domestic and foreign policy of Pakistan. So conducting talks on terrorism will nullify all the efforts Pakistan has done to dismantle the state of Kashmir till date. So to me, an international pressure is necessary and yes with the leadership of Shri Narendra Modi, it's happening. Even Trump is on our side!

TNT: What advice do you have for the upcoming writers from the region? Do you think they should follow suit to writing as a means of employment?

SM: Start writing as a hobby, maybe with an objective, and nothing else. Please do not get very desperate as one becomes very cynical about it. Don't follow the trend, follow what you feel, feel that you have a story to tell and then scribe your pen into words. Consider it as the single most hopeful thing you have ever done! Keep it a secret of yours, protect it and nurture it. It will become a big thing (for you) with time.

 As for means of employment, do not think (much) about it until you are established through its sells and earning a good fortune.

The author can be contacted at sidhanthm.123@gmail.com

by Christopher Gatphoh (christopher@thenortheasttoday.in)